cat a bath

@blogs86 (370)
Philippines
January 16, 2009 12:15am CST
do cats really hate water?
1 person likes this
10 responses
@akangirl (2436)
• India
16 Jan 09
Actually i have noticed that every cat have different reaction to bath. Like in first cat case she hated water , she would try to run away, but my next cat kitty would take a bath with no problem except meowing loudly and other cats tabby, cherry, binny,tinny,lovely used to scream and run both and my now cat whose name is also kitty loves bathing but hates cold water. She like only lukewarm water.
1 person likes this
@blogs86 (370)
• Philippines
16 Jan 09
well my cat is different she always hate water every time she took a bath except when drinking of course..btw thanks for responding :-)
@Loverbear (4918)
• United States
16 Jan 09
I have had cats that adored the water and others that hate it. I had a Siamese that loved bubble baths...I couldn't ever beat that cat into the bubble bath. I also had one who love getting flea baths, he would sit in the tub and purr like a motor boat. If you introduce the cat to water as a kitten and make the experience positive for them they will love the water, but not like dogs. Part of that is the difference in the fur of dogs and cats. Cats fur doesn't protect them from the cold of being soaked like they would be if they were in a lake or large pool of water. Also they are extremely sensitive so it isn't a good idea to push a older cat into bathing in the tub. It is recommended by vets that cats shouldn't be bathed or tossed into swimming pools etc. The only time to bathe a cat is if they are so dirty that they can't clean themselves.
@Loverbear (4918)
• United States
16 Jan 09
I kind of get the feeling I didn't answer your question enough. Another answer to the question is that cats are normally a very fastidious creature, and are bathing themselves quite often. But they are a predator too, it takes quite a while for a cat to dry themselves off and by taking this time to "dry", they will miss prey. It stems back to the days that they lived in the wild and weren't domesticated. Also, cats are prey to other animals, and taking the time to dry themselves off also makes them vulnerable to predators that hunt them. There are only a few breeds of cat that likes the water, one of them being the tiger and the jaguar. Of course this is a larger cat so there isn't as much fear of being hunted. Hope I added enough to answer your question a bit better.
@blogs86 (370)
• Philippines
17 Jan 09
yup it answers my question :-) thanks..btw your cat is cute in your picture :-)
@blogs86 (370)
• Philippines
16 Jan 09
well thanks for responding to the question..have a nice day :-)
@Yori88 (1465)
• Philippines
17 Jan 09
The question of how cats feel about water is somewhat controversial, because there are cats that will do anything to avoid it while other felines love it and jump right in. So when your cat paws inside your fish bowl, does that mean he likes the water? Cats that like water often will sit near the tub while you splash them. Others will jump into the sink or tub and actually seem content or amused as water from the faucet drips all over their heads. Some of these cats may be attracted to the motion and sound of water coming out of the faucet. Many cats just like to drink running water. And some will even put their paws into their water dish and "swirl" it around so they can drink running water. On the other hand, some cats have either cats have either neutral or positive experiences with water. Show cats are bathed very often, starting when they are kittens. Most don't seem to mind the usual dreaded bath because they are accustomed to it. One theory is that cat species native to hot areas seem to enjoy a dip in water. These large felines include tigers, lions, jaguars, ocelots and jaguarunde from hot savannas. They are likely to fancy a plunge into cool, refreshing streams and ponds to get a break from the heat. Cats from cold environments--snow leopards, lynx, bobcats and cougars--seem to have little interest in getting wet. Some experts reason that water could destroy or decrease the fur's insulation and its ability to keep these cats warm in cold air.
@blogs86 (370)
• Philippines
17 Jan 09
well thanks for sharing your knowledge about cats..hehe..cats are really different environmentally speaking..thanks and have a nice day :-)
• United States
16 Jan 09
I have 2 cats one that wont come near the tub no matter how much I coax. Then I have one that the min the water is turned on she hops up on the edge of the tub and watches it fill up. Once its filled up she leans in to take a drink. She is kinda weird. She has been given a bath to and she hated it but she still comes to the tub ever time the water is turned on.
@blogs86 (370)
• Philippines
16 Jan 09
haha..your cat is cute,thanks for responding have a nice day
@ds6413 (2070)
• United States
16 Jan 09
Hello, I think it depends on when the cat is first introduced to bathing. I bathed my cats. They did not like it at first but they seemed to get used to it. I just made sure water did not get into their ears
@blogs86 (370)
• Philippines
16 Jan 09
well my cat didn't get used to it they meow a lot whenever they take a bath..well thanks for responding
• United States
16 Jan 09
My 3 kitties always get a bath at least 3-4 times a year. The one that I rescued from a lake has a good reason to hate water. She will let me give her a bath without clawing my eyes out. However, my 2 male cats are a nuisance when they get shampooed!
@blogs86 (370)
• Philippines
17 Jan 09
haha their cute..3-4 times a year wow my cats take her bath every 2 weeks..btw thanks for replying :-)
@ericajoyce (1746)
• Philippines
23 Jan 09
Hello blogs. I used to have a cat which I give baths to. There are times that she likes taking a bath and there are times that she would stratch me and make a sound as if she doesnt want to take a bath. Maybe it depends on the type of cat and on their mood.
@mcat19 (1357)
• United States
16 Jan 09
My daughter's cat Boris will put his front feet in his water dish and splash in it. He gets a bath every so often since he is a rather large boy and can't clean his back or his back end. My sil takes him into the shower and he gets a shower, too. I don't think he likes it much, but allows it to happen. Generally, cats do their own bathing and don't need human assistance.
@sudalunts (5523)
• United States
16 Jan 09
I have two cats, neither of them like water. My husband tried giving my female cat a bath once, and she screamed bloody murder. When she started screaming, my male cat started hissing at my husband. My male cat will put his paws in the water dish and transport the food into it. He also waits for the bathtub to empty, then he will hop in, but he does not like to get totally immersed
16 Jan 09
They don't generally like it, no! Tap water is bad for them anwyay - much the same as for our hair, shampoo and stuff strips all the nutrients out and upsets the careful balance needed. Cats clean themselves and their saliva is better for their fur, so leave them to it. The only time they need a bath is if they're long-haired and can't cope (in which case you're better off trimming and leaving them to their own cleaning) or if they can't clean themselves for some other reason. The cleaning action also activates chemical responses in their skin, so it's vital they do it. Quite apart from all that, it must be really uncomfortable. Imagine walking around with wet hair, but over your WHOLE body! Yuck! Strangely, I remember reading somewhere that tigers actually enjoy swimming. They're pretty much the only cat that does, if I remember right.